PRSSA KENT RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

​By: Sam Farland
The Public Reations Student Society of America (PRSSA) awarded the Kent State Chapter (PRSSA Kent) the highest national honors for a chapter as well as for a student leader this month.
PRSSA named Kent State University the winner of the 2019 Outstanding Chapter Award at its International Conference in San Diego, Calif. Public relations major Vanessa Gresley, PRSSA Kent’s vice president of professional relations, earned the Gold Key Award, the highest PRSSA honor for students.

​It presents the Outstanding Chapter Award to one of 300 plus chapters each year, recognizing leadership at the national level, strong relationships with PRSSA members, alumni and PRSA, and successful programming and fundraising and other activities.

PRSSA Kent officers submitted an application in June to be considered for the award. The application highlighted the chapter’s 50th Anniversary celebration, bi-weekly meetings with communication professionals, mentoring program, fundraising success, newsletter, website and social media channels and included an evaluation of the chapter’s objectives and letters of recommendation.

​“As a chapter, we have put in a lot of work over the past year to be the best we can be, and it paid off,” Sophia Iannelli, PRSSA Kent’s President, said. “I am so lucky to be able to lead such an amazing group, and I speak for the whole chapter, past and present, when I say I am beyond grateful for this recognition.”

Seven PRSSA Kent members, along with Kent State Associate Professor and PRSSA Faculty Adviser Michele Ewing and Assistant Professor Cheryl Ann Lambert, attended the PRSSA International Conference in late October.

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PRSSA Kent receives 2019 Outstanding Chapter Award.

Vanessa Gresley, VP of Professional Relations, earned the National Gold Key Award.

PRSSA Kent board members in San Diego, (from left to right) Jada Miles, Jill Golden, Ally Viano, Vanessa Gresley, Sophia Iannelli, Leah Marxen and Sam Farland.